Drowning in Air
by potternerd95
Summary: Stacey Cartwright is a quiet Ravenclaw student with a terrible secret that she must keep hidden. What happens when she meets gorgeous Gryffindor, James Potter? A boy that threatens to break down the walls that she built to keep people away.
1. Chapter 1

**Drowning in Air**

**Hi, all! I really hope you like this story. There is more to come if you like it. :)**

**I do not own anything. I am merely a fan.**

The rain hammered down on the school rooftop, coming down fast. Stacey sat idly staring out the window, not that she could see much through the rain. As the rain beat down on the roof, Stacy heard the rhythm. A rhythm she had to put words to:

_A constant weight_

_An all-consuming burden_

_Secrets and lies_

_My eternal demise_

The rain beat down harder. Sometimes, not even the words helped. But the always came and Stacey couldn't stop them. All her life Stacey Cartwright had a gift for words. No matter what, they always came to her like a niggling headache that she had to get rid of. Writing was the only way. Sometimes writing was no help, sometimes the headache persisted. The gift was her curse.

"Miss Cartwright?" The voice of her Charms professor snapped her out of her daydream.

"Sorry Professor, I don't know" She stared down at her page. She hadn't written a thing all lessons.

"Maybe next time, Miss Cartwright, pay attention"

"Yes professor" Professor Brown returned to the blackboard and continued writing, just as the bell went.

Stacey quietly packed up her things and left the classroom. As she walked out of the door, there was someone standing there, a Gryffindor. When Stacey turned to walk toward the Ravenclaw Common Room she caught his eye. When their eyes met, she smiled at him, a smile that he gladly returned. The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur for Stacey. There was only one thing on her mind. The Gryffindor. He was the only person that had ever looked at her like that. Stacey was a closed person, her quiet nature usually gave the impression that she was rude, and that was the reason she had never made any friends at Hogwarts. She liked it better that was, anyway. She'd always preferred the company of books anyway. But the Gryffindor boy had seen more than just her. He'd looked straight through her, into her soul, as corny as that sounds.

Stacey sat in the Ravenclaw Common Room that night thinking about him. The was his uniform was fitting in all the right places, the was his mouth formed a crooked smile when he saw her, the way his messy black hair was slightly too long and fell into his emerald green eyes. Her heart fluttered every time she thought about him. It sounded mad, even to her, she'd never even met him.

The next day passed like any other. It wasn't until lunch, when Stacey was walking out of Potions that it changed. As she turned down the corridor she bumped into someone, sending her books sprawling across the floor. Stacey took a step back to see who she'd bumped into. When she looked into his eyes, her breath caught. It was the Gryffindor.

"S-sorry" she stammered dropping to the floor to collect her books.  
The Gryffindor boy knelt down and began helping her gather her books. "My fault, sorry I should really watch where I'm walking." He smiled at her. Stacey gathered the last of her books and stood, looking into his eyes.

"James Potter" He held out his hand and she shook it.

"Stacey Cartwright" He smiled at her again, that crooked smile.

"Nice to meet you, Stacey Cartwright" With that he turned and walked away. As Stacey retreated toward the Great Hall she couldn't stop thinking about her encounter with James.

_A crooked grin_

_With emerald eyes_

_Holding my heart_

_That's full of lies_

Tears welled in her eyes and began to stream down her face. Instead of heading to the great hall, she turned around and headed to her dorm. She knew that she couldn't let anyone in. what she felt for James, someone she didn't even know, had to be suppressed. Stacey spent all afternoon in her bed, silently sobbing for the loss of something she never had.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi, I know it's not all that good, but I promise you the next chapter will be better. I hope you enjoy it and, if all goes to plan, the next chapter won't be too long.**

Stacey woke to the sound of an owl tapping at her window. Sleepily, she forced herself toward the window where the owl perched, waiting. As she heaved open the window, the winters air filled the room, causing her to shiver and pull her robe tighter around her. Stacey pulled the letter from the owl's beak and opened it.

_**Stacey,**_

_** Meet me at the Astronomy tower, midnight.**_

_** -J **_

Stacey stared at the letter. Every nerve in her body told her that she shouldn't go, that she mustn't. She pulled the window closed and walked over to her bed, checking her watch on the way. 11:45. Making up her mind, Stacey ran to her closet and grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweater and throwing them on. Still, her conscience urged her not to go. She ignored it. There was something about James that intrigued her, and she had to find out.

James paced the astronomy tower nervously. He couldn't stop thinking about her since the moment he first saw her leaving Charms two days ago. He thought about her long dark hair, the way it curled around her face highlighting her clear blue eyes. He hardly knew her, and it sounded crazy, he didn't even know what was drawing him to her. She was a mystery and he wanted to find out what made her so. James was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice the door open and Stacey stepping inside.

"James?" James spun around and saw Stacey standing there, the moon framing her delicate figure.

"Hi," he breathed in reply, taking a step toward her.

Stacey watched his face light up when he saw her. "James, don't."

"Why?" He asked, as his smile fell away. He hadn't expected this.

"Just don't, okay? Simple request" she turned away from him as a tear escaped her eye. She walked over to the window and stared out at the grounds, taking in the simple beauty of it all. "I can't". Stacey stared at the Hogwarts grounds; she found it easier not to look at him.

"That's not a reason, Stacey. I want a proper explanation, not this 'I can't' stuff"

Stacey sighed, "That's all I'm going to tell you, James, so get used to it"

"I don't give up easily. I want to know. I've never felt like this before. From the moment I saw you, I felt something, which, if you think about it, is completely mad because I don't even know you. I know you feel it too, Stacey. I know it." He finished his speech by punching the wall.

"How can you be so sure that I feel the same way?" She spun around to face him. "How?"

James looked down at his feet, "You wouldn't have come otherwise" he looked up at her to see fresh tears streaming down her face. When Stacey saw him looking at her she quickly turned back toward the window. She knew her attempts to hide her tears were in vain. He'd already seen her crying.

"Look at me, Stacey." He walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, and turned her so they were face to face. "Whatever is going on, whatever it is, it's bothering you. Tell me." She looked up into his eyes and shook her head.

"It's dangerous. I can't" she looked away from his eyes, fresh tears spilling from her own.

James, his hands still on her shoulders, wrapped his arms around her and let her cry.

"I know dangerous, Stacey. Whatever it is, it can't be any more dangerous than what my dad did at Hogwarts." She smiled and wiped the tears from her face.

"It is. You have no idea", she took a step back from him and gestured to the grounds. "James, me being here, at Hogwarts, with you, it puts everyone here in danger!"

"Stacey, I said it before! I've never felt like this about anyone, I don't care about the danger!" he practically yelled.

Stacey smiled at his persistence. "I'm not going to tell you, James, not now anyway". Once again, James took her into his arms.

"I just want you to be safe" he told her, then he kissed her.


End file.
